Bollywood challenges Hollywood in Russia

Russians have enjoyed Indian films during the time of the former Soviet Union but Bollywood still rules the heart of many generations. And today, Indian films are coming back, bringing with them a new modern style, based on the old traditions.

Russians will have an opportunity to rekindle there romance with Indian cinema during a week long festival of Indian golden oldies. The movies were popular in Soviet times and now a new generation of young Russians are interested in Bollywood. Nowadays films are more Americanised, but before, there were a lot of Indian films.

After the collapse of Soviet film distribution system and eventually its takeover by Hollywood it became extremely difficult for Bollywood movies to enter into the Russian market.

“I would like to see more modern Indian films and I think it will be great if they were more promoted and more shown on the cinemas and on TV,” said viewer Katya Grishenko.

In the wake of renewed interest in Bollywood the young Russian cinema goers want not only the serious art movies they also want to be entertained by the song dance glitz and glamour of Bollywood. And today Russians can have it all.

In the downtown Moscow there is a lovely studio of India TV. This is where all the programming is made: Bollywood straight out of Russia. Made in Russia India TV is the answer to Bollywood for the Russian masses.

“The statistics shows that the channel is popular not only in Moscow but also in the other regions of Russia and CIS,” noted Roman Stolyarsky, CEO of the India TV channel.